The present invention relates to an optical control device, a control device, an optical scope, a scanning optical device, and the like.
A frame-sequential endoscope system has been widely used. The frame-sequential endoscope system sequentially applies three colors of light (RGB) to tissue in a body cavity using a rotary filter, and allows the user to perform diagnosis using an image (normal light image) generated from reflected light images. An endoscope system has been proposed that sequentially applies two types of narrow-band light (G2 and B2) that differs in characteristics from the three colors of light to tissue in a body cavity, and allows the user to perform diagnosis using a narrow-band image generated from reflected light images (see JP-A-2006-68113, for example). An endoscope system has also been proposed that applies narrow-band excitation light to tissue in a body cavity, and allows the user to perform diagnosis using a fluorescent image generated by acquiring intrinsic fluorescence produced by the tissue or fluorescence produced by a fluorescent agent due to the excitation light (see JP-A-2007-229053, for example).
A dot-sequential scanning endoscope system that differs from the frame-sequential endoscope system has also been proposed. The dot-sequential scanning endoscope system applies spot light (including light having a UV wavelength, light having a visible wavelength, and light having an IR wavelength) to tissue in a body cavity from an optical fiber that is scanned at high speed, and receives reflected light to form an image. Since the scanning endoscope system is configured so that a light-receiving element can be provided outside a body, the size, number, and the like of the light-receiving elements are not basically limited. The spectral characteristics of the spot light can also be acquired by providing a spectroscope between the return light and the light-receiving elements. Moreover, a normal image, a fluorescent image, and the like can be generated based on the acquired spectral characteristics (see JP-A-2003-535659, for example).